Darren Gough admits England have ''the perfect opportunity'' to uncover a one-day specialist bowler on the tour to India - but insists he remains the best man for the job.

Next year's World Cup is preying on Gough's mind and, despite being left out of the latest England squad, the 35-year-old is hopeful of winning back his place in the one-day team.

However, his chances will be slim if another paceman rises to the challenge in India during March and April.

Gough considers bowling at the end of an innings his forte, when his variation has served England well in many of his 157 one-day internationals.

He admitted: ''Liam Plunkett, Kabir Ali, James Anderson have all come in and done really well, but in little spells. But if England are going to win the World Cup, they can't have one good game and three bad games.

''They have got to be able to bowl at the end. You can win and lose a game in those last ten overs.

''The selectors have got the perfect opportunity now to look at these youngsters and see if they can cut it at this level.

''They have had all winter and if they can't find someone else to bowl at the death besides Flintoff, people are still going to be saying 'Darren Gough is the man'.''

Ali, Anderson and Plunkett were named ahead of Gough in the touring party, and while they remain relative novices in international cricket, the same cannot be said of Ashes success stories Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones.

Nevertheless, Essex quick Gough - who won BBC's Strictly Come Dancing while England were touring Pakistan - is holding out hope for a recall.

''I believe I'm still good enough to hold down a place in the one-day side, as Glenn McGrath does for Australia and Shaun Pollock does for South Africa. You always need experience,'' he said.

''The World Cup is still a realistic dream, of course it is. I'm not going to give up. Who would have thought I would win a dancing competition? I never give up and I always believe I can do it.''

l Indian duo Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid missed out on a world-record opening stand as the first Test against Pakistan in Lahore finished in a draw.

With the match destined to end in stalemate after four days of batting domination, the only note of interest going into the final day was whether Sehwag and Dravid could get the 11 runs needed to pass the 50-year-old record set by fellow Indians Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy.

But when play finally started after bad light and drizzle had wiped out most of the opening two sessions, Sehwag edged seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to keeper Kamran Akmal with the score on 410 to end his mammoth innings of 254.

That left the Indian openers an agonising three runs short of the history books.

Chasing Pakistan's 679 for seven declared, the tourists resumed on Tuesday on 403 without loss and Sehwag wasted no time in bringing up his 250 with a leg-glance off Naved that earned him two runs.

He then lashed a cover drive for four before finally succumbing, attempting to guide the ball over the slip cordon.

Three balls after his departure, Dravid (128 not out), and his new partner VVS Laxman (nought no), were offered the light and accepted.